The Upper Midwest Extension Course of Study School (UMECOSS) is pleased to announce that the new Interim Director for the program is Rev. Dr. Barrie Tritle. Rev. Dr. Tritle is a Retired Full Elder in the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is currently serving at Spencer Grace UMC while in retirement.
Pastor Neil Hofer, Chair of the UMECOSS Board of Managers shared, “We were saddened at the sudden loss of our long-time director Dennis Tevis when we learned of his passing this past winter. We are very thankful for the help we’ve received from his wife, Glenna in his absence. She has helped us immensely in continuing our programming of classes. We feel quite fortunate to have someone of Rev. Dr. Tritle’s qualifications and experience stepping in to take over during this difficult time, and we look forward to his leadership in helping re-energize our Extension Course of Study program.”
When asked about his new role, Rev. Dr. Barrie Tritle responded, “It is an honor and privilege to be the new Interim Director for The Upper Midwest Extension Course of Study School. I believe Local Pastors have had and will continue to have a vital role in leading the United Methodist Church forward into our future. We need a high-quality Course of Study to help equip them to lead with excellence. We are distinctive as United Methodists and we have many wonderful things to offer in ministry with our world today. Join me in praying for our local pastors and course of study program. Thank you.”
Upper Midwest Extension Course of Study School is a program of 20 courses where part-time local pastors can receive their required education to help them continuously grow in their knowledge and ministry. Students learn about various topics, including worship and sacraments, Biblical studies, theology, administration and polity, evangelism and more.
Any part-time local pastors are welcome to attend the Upper Midwest Extension Course of Study School. The fall session will be hybrid, with one weekend where all classes are in person, and they will also each have a weekend where they will have class time via Zoom. More information and registration information for the school may be found at
https://www.iaumc.org/umecos. The deadline to register for the fall classes is July 15, 2023.
